UK PM to announce resignation within hours: Sources

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a European Parliament election campaign event in Bristol, southwest England, on May 17, 2019. (AFP photo)

Sources close to the British government say Prime Minister Theresa May is planning to resign within hours.

A political correspondent of the Sky News cited a senior lawmaker as saying on Wednesday that May would announce her resignation later in the day.

Daily Mail’s political editor also said that May was planning a resignation statement from her office in London, insisting that no one had denied the rumors.

“Rumors - unconfirmed, but also not denied - that the PM is planning a statement from Downing Street tonight,” said Jason Groves.

The development comes hours after May faced a fierce opposition in the parliament to her latest version of a European Union withdrawal agreement.

Leader of the opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, whose aides have been in talks with the government for the past two months, said May’s Brexit deal, which will be debated in the Commons starting June 3, was nothing different than the documents rejected by lawmakers on three previous occasions.

Corbyn said it was time for May to call a general election and allow people to decide who should take the control of the Brexit process.

Later report suggested May’s team of top ministers in the cabinet had become extremely unhappy with the current political situation.

An ITV Political correspondent said the ministers will move against her on Wednesday. The Times and the BBC said interior minister Sajid Javid, himself a candidate to become next prime minister, had asked to see May over the issue.

May took office after former Prime Minister David Cameron resigned following the Brexit referendum in June 2016. She has consistently defended her brexit strategy, saying it is the only way to secure a smooth withdrawal from the EU.

Former foreign minister Boris Johnson who resigned from her post last summer after May announced her Brexit negotiation plan is currently leading the race to become the leader of the ruling Conservative Party and replace May.